Oooooh! A fan video of Laura Bush, set to Tom Jones singing "She's A Lady." Precious.
This political season is getting weirder by the minute. Just a few lowlights from the past few days:
-- Taylor hits the "sexing up the GOP" nail on the head, so to speak, with this:
The candidate's husband is a strategic asset too, dare I remind the California Times. How is Clinton going to deploy her asset? For that matter, what about Elizabeth Edwards? She's not sitting on anyone's lap, and she's not only a strategic asset, but a campaign dynamo. Then there's Michelle Obama who is nobody's slouch.
But what are the Republican wives offering? Canoodling. Fashion tips? No. Republican wives aren't advocates for policy, they're proof of, ahem, wood.
With a nominating field full of older men and younger wives, experts say that a youthful, even sexy wife offers a none-too-subtle message about the vitality of the candidate.
Nice try. As someone who has interviewed more people on marriage and sex than anyone in the blogosphere, this is so ignorant as to be mind boggling. What it illustrates is the candidate's need to show vitality, not necessarily that he has it.
Ewwwwwww. Just....ewwwwww. Democratic females candidates get castigated for having breasts that are visible in any way, but male Republican candidates get bonus points for wives with bazoombas who lavish their candidate spouses with PDAs in an arm candy assist. Just so we all understand the landscape on this one. Female dems? One standard. Females in the GOP? Great for window dressing and virility boosts. Got it. I'll try to be better about knowing my place. (hahahahahaha...)
-- Speaking of wives on public display, it seems the Thompson "faux campaign for maybe" has been fronting out a bit of resume enhancement for Mrs. Thompson. It turns out that she is not an attorney, despite the fact that supporters have been prattling on for weeks now that she was with nary a correction from the Thompsons. I love that the WaPo saw fit to delve into the love triangle of Jeri, Fred, and Margaret Carlson in all its gory. (And yes, Digby has been talking about this for quite a while. Here we go again with the virility creds for the GOP men. What are they compensating for, one wonders?) Have I said lately how much I love TBogg? I'm in for half a ficus...
-- Pam finds evidence that the "pray the gay away" crowd has gone further down the road to Crazy Town. People in glass parties...I'm just saying. (H/T to C&L. Do click through on this one, it is laugh out loud funny. Consider this your spew alert.)
-- TBogg on the battle of the Evitas. (Again, beware of the spew. Mwahahahaha.)
-- Shopaholics anonymous' most famous poster girl has no follow through without a reminder from the media.
In a speech to a meeting of democratic freedom fighters in Prague on June 5, President Bush announced a concrete mission for his State Department. "I have asked Secretary Rice," he said, "to send a directive to every U.S. ambassador in an unfree nation: Seek out and meet with activists for democracy. Seek out those who demand human rights."
Nearly two months later, the cable had not been sent. (The State Department told me that it was dispatched late Friday -- the day after I called the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor to inquire about it.)
What is this thing you call "work?" Guess she needs to go back for another session on backhands with Monica Seles like she did during the immediate aftermath of Katrina, eh? Competence, it's the new...oh, hell, just forget it.
-- Duncan finds a gem.
Is it me, or has political reporting gone all Fredericks of Bollywood this season? (YouTube)
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Zed!!
zunoed?
Christy !!
Ah, missed it by THAT much!
Good thing I haven’t eaten yet. Ooogh.
nice one, Mr. Conscience!
I don’t know why, but the Laura Bush fan video cracked me up this morning. Thought we could all use a little snark today…
fronting out a bit of resume enhancement for Mrs. Thompson.
I’m thinking that’s not the only “enhancement” Mrs. Thompson has going for her…
has anyone commented on how ludicrous that repug non-candidate Freddie looks lugging around his lil’ trophy?
how many would want to trade places with her?
ewwwwwww.
apologies for #9.
not sure what got into me. meow.
need.coffee.
Adie @ 9
Maybe we can get that guy from Dateline who catches the pervs on the story.
Doubl-ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.
Mr. Thompson has all the visual appeal of a used condom.
OldCoastie @ 12
Hey, don’t insult used condoms. They have been useful.
Seeing Fred “Nixon Mole” Thompson with his real-life Barbie Doll just creeps me out to the nth degree.
This from Salon today:
Interesting.
omg what a “let-loose” thread we have here, heh.
on a more serious note, does Ms. L. remind anyone else of poor Pat Nix*n on, um, i dunno, powerful “meds” of some sort?
Adie @ 9
What are those little cleaner fishes that preen large groupers and such?
eCAHNomics @ 13
yes, but you must admit there is a resemblance…
Gray
Nope. Been getting gradually worse, esp since W. Has to do with Rs one-dimensional sloganeering propaganda on the political side, and with MSM obsession with drug-addicted or missing young blond females.
Biodun at 15 — This from a man who just a week or so ago said that Karl Rove was his best source. He’s such a liar…and he never gets publicly called on it.
I think that the marital track records of the Republican candidates is proof of how shallow they are. This is why we need to end the domination of rich old white men in politics. One of the qualities I want in a president is someone who is capable of a long committed relationship, not a man who trades an older wife in for a new model. A trophy wife is like an expensive sports car. Aging men may think it makes them look virile, but it really only makes them look desperate and silly.
Biodun @ 15
hehehehehehehehehehe!!!!
Now THAT just makes my day! What.a.hoot!
novack the whiner. someone send him a pacifier or somethin. preferably well broken-in. don’ wanna hurt those pearlywhites.
More whining words of advice from Novakula:
I just love double standards. And the do as I say, not as do syndrome. One thing you have to say about the Bush gang. They are creatures of habit. And all that stuff during the Bush I reign about Babs being the kindlt old granmother. Poppycock. Babs is a mean, nasty, ruthless individual.
A little math 9 trillion in debt (some time this year) and 300 million Americans = $30,000 in debt for each American.
Bush is spending at an insane rate and except for Medicare Part D, I do not even know where it is going.
PS The war is off budget.
Biodun says
August 7th, 2007 at 8:44 am
“The abuse — you can’t imagine the abuse I get in e-mails. People say things in e-mails … that are absolutely … dreadful.
That reminds me - I have an absolutely dreadful e-mail I need to send. Hi Bob!
eCAHNomics @ 20
Republicans must make real issues non-issues. (The MSM makes that easy for them.) Republican candidates run on manufactured personality, charm and charisma. Could anybody go for a beer?
epu’ed from last thread on contacting congress critters: Here is a random thought….tell the representative or senator that for each nonresponsive answer, you will donate $ to their opponent. It is sort of like the fundraising that goes on at some places where Fred Phelps rants and parades; the longer he is there, the more pledges accumulate for organizations to which he is opposed.
Pickles! Of course! We’ve been focused on the wrong people all along. Pickles would understand. She gets it. I’m writing a few Mauimom postcards to her. Yes! Great idea.
OKK at 25 — Why, Babs is “compassionate conservative” personified, don’t you know?
hackworth @ 17
oh awright, i’ll bite. some are wrasses, i believe. some shrimp might do it too. do they count? that ain’t no shrimp on hissun arm…
Marretta @ 22
Thanks…I’m currently packing for a trip to Sochi on the Black Sea where I intend to test that last theory.
How much more “progress” in Iraq can we stand?
Roadside bombs kill 4 GIs in Baghdad attacks
Political crisis deepens as Iraqi ministers decide to boycott meetings
Can I say that I am thrilled that someone involved in the outing of Valerie Plame is paying a price? Novak is a total slime and he deserves everything he gets. What about the financial woes of the Wilsons, you scumbag? Thanks to you and your overlords at the Whitehouse, she will never again be able to do the work she was trained to do. God, what a whiner!
.
Well put.
Christy, very funny video
Awww, Novak had his feelings hurt.
My heart bleeds for him. Not.
Speaking of Repug’s presidential contenders’ families. I’m sure you’ve heard/read this by now. It’s all over cable MSM:
blue e at 37 — I think it is all the more hilarious, because the person putting it together didn’t really mean it to be so. hehehehehe I don’t know why, but it just cracks me up…
WRT Laura Bush, I think that video says it all. She is the perfect wife. Always well coiffed, meticuously groomed, ever smiling, never says anything wrong, and “she’s mine.” Yep. A prized possession to be sure.
Read Kitty Kelley’s book on the Bushes. Not too much about Laura (unlike Bar, when Kelley goes into great detail on her prickly personality), I guess because there’s no there there. One interesting thing, though. The reason why they have twins & only twins is that Laura had to conceive via fertility treatment.
When did Novak turn to writing only fiction?
Oklahoma kiddo @ 34
Drip, drip, drip. The lives go down the drain - 3 or four a day. Everybody anticipated that this was going to happen. They don’t like it much, but they don’t hate it much either.
I know its changing some Republican families. I know one mother.
Laura Bush is an empty suit.
novack got kicked outta the sorority & booted off the cheerleaders. lost hope for prom queen, or even the court. oh the horror…
Sandman @ 26
The “real” number is on the order of $40 trillion. I recently read where the debt was $9(?) trillion in 2000 and is now $40 trillion.
So, what else is catching everyone’s eye in the news today? I’m still catching up from the conference…lots going on, and it’s all I can do to keep up.
Someone needs to challenge the FISA fix in court. In effect, it grants the Bush Administration the ability to conduct warrantless surveillance (and opposition research for the RNC) through January ‘09 — see http://balkin.blogspot.com/#4144197901042856450
Don’t Pelosi and Ried have staffs that analyze these bills before they agree to them? Why aren’t we suprised at this Trojan horse from the White House? Those guys do their homework. Why can’t democrats?
eCAHNomics says
August 7th, 2007 at 8:58 am
WRT Laura Bush, I think that video says it all. She is the perfect wife. Always well coiffed, meticuously groomed, ever smiling, heavily and thoroughly sedated, never says anything wrong, and “she’s mine.” Yep. A prized possession to be sure.
My bold. Just tryin’ to help. heh.
My new favorite bumper sticker:
“I never thought I’d miss Nixon”
experts say
Experts say? Experts at WHAT? Propaganda?
You know, the public relations industry needs a fresh clock in the head. See:
www.prwatch.org
see also “Trust Us We’re Experts”
“People say … they say … some say … experts say … ”
Repugnant, mendacious people rule our discourse and are paid BIG BUCKS to do so. The PR industry needs to be nuked. That IMO is the real elephant in the living room these days. The PR industry, paid hacks, sets the terms of the debate. That is the fundamental problem right now from which all other problems flow.
I imagine that many are looking at America as they looked at the gross and decadent leaders of empires of yore.
-GSD
A bonus. US troop levels reach an all time high since the war began.
Yep, almost a year after the election the Bush response has been a salty thumb in the collective eye of America.
Fred Barnes thinks it is funny.
-GSD
P J Evans @ 38
Its a stunt. Christy says Novak said just last week that Rove was a good contact.
Furthermore, Novak is disseminating the liberal media lie. The fact is that the Media is predominently Right Wing.
The exact opposite of what Novak says is true. A liberal can’t get a Media job. Phil Donahue is one example.
CHS
In last thread you suggested a call-in this afternoon & I asked for clarification. I didn’t see a response(apologize if I missed it). Did you mean we should call Ds who voted against FISA?
“The John F. Kerry for President campaign and Kerry supporters took aim at First Lady Laura Bush today, claiming in a new book by Kitty Kelly that Laura Bush both sold and smoked marijuana during her days at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. This explosive new allegation signals a new strategy by Kerry supporters to target not only President Bush with charges of drug use in his past, but the First Lady as well.”
Christy Hardin Smith @ 7
I guess I must be missing something, it seemed pretty straight-up to me.
rnc
Saw this one recently:
DOG IS LOVE
jayt @ 49
Thx. Always appreciate constructive editing.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 55
Bet she stepped on it.
Jane at 56 — It was meant as a straight-up fan video. But the song, in combination with the pictures where she’s got that weird half-frozen smile just cracked me up. (I think I’m still just a little punchy and tired…maybe it’s just me. *g*) Of course, it could be viewing this one back to back with the one set to Shania Twain’s “Feel Like A Woman” that did it…
As far as being a “real man” is concerned, Edwards beats the tar out of every single one of these bozos, not just for sticking by his wife through tragedy and illness, but for having the good sense to marry her in the first place!
wigwam @ 48
Who has standing? It is amazing to me that they have been able to keep the dossiers secrete. I am aware of only one that was leaked; and that was in ‘03.
One thing for sure. The Secretary of State certainly knows her place.
eCHAN at 54 — No, that was Jane — and I think she meant that she was thinking about calling in to see if she could find out about Nancy Pelosi’s schedule, since she couldn’t find any public events for her but had found one for Harry Reid.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 55
That’s old news. The book came outa few years ago, though I just read it. Besides the FBI annouonced today that they would hire agents whohad used marijuana, as long as it hadn’t been recently.
Progress in our time, or howthe mighty have fallen?
Biodun @ 24
Wow, Dennis Miller quit comedy to become a political hack. Bob Novak quit political hackery to do comedy apparently.
-GSD
How about this moronic tidbit:
He’s not the guy you see on TV?
Christy Hardin Smith @ 64
Got it. Thx.
Hey Christy!
Dang! Aren’t THESE those killer-shoes you were talkin’ about?! WooHoo!
http://www.firedoglake.com/200.....hite-male/
mc @ 50
Seen on the streets of Indianapolis the other day: “Will Rogers never met George W. Bush”
Biodun @ 67
Well, of course. Body double. All the best deciders in chief have ‘em….
eCAHNomics @ 65
Yes that is old news. But I think it points to the utter hypocrisy under which Laura and her hubby operate. ;0)
PWESIENTIAL SPOKESMAN ELMER FUDD SAYS:
Mrs. Cwinton’s bweasts are important to national secuwity.
Focus on bosoms, and away from FISA, or wying and cowwupt members of the administration, is important to the White House.
It is called “changing the subject,” so that new powitical pwobwems won’t come up.
We asked the Washington pwess to focus on iwwelevant matters, and good patwiotic Amewicans that they are, they compwied.
So you should keep your twap shut too.
Steve-AR @ 62
Standing is going to be the big problem and that’s probably what they’re couinting on. Who can prove they’ve been targets? Because I make numerous phone calls to Russia and Eastern Europe does that automatically mean I’ve been monitored? I’m sure I have been, but how do you prove it in the context of getting over that threshold and into court?
I know that it takes me longer to get on planes when I’m traveling through Paris and the person checking my passport, when I joke about, says their job would be easier without people like me. WTF does that mean? I haven’t had any trouble in the States yet, but that could change at any time. Maybe this afternoon when I leave again from Newark.
I think this was done in a way that it is irremediable intentionally so and the lawyers in Congress who didn’t see that, even after a cursory look, were remiss. Especially in the area of giving these criminals a pass for previous criminal acts.
Are there a couple of million Republican women in America who got dumped for younger trophy wives by worthless men? If Fred or any of the others run, might these women “forget” to vote that day?
Here’s a tidbit from the BBC
Iraq power system ‘near collapse’
Iraq’s national power grid is on the brink of collapse, the country’s electricity ministry has warned.
Water supplies to Baghdad have also been cut off for days at a time, with summertime pressures on key systems said to be more intense than ever.
The ministry blamed poor maintenance, fuel shortages, sabotage by insurgents and rising demand for the problems, and said some provinces hold onto supplies.
The US Army told the BBC that Iraq must now take charge of fixing the problems.
The general in charge of helping Iraq rebuild its infrastructure, Michael Walsh, said that although Iraqi authorities only have one-quarter of the money needed for reconstruction, solving the problem was now up to them.
Gen Walsh told the BBC that the US had jump-started reconstruction but that, working with donor nations, the Iraqi government needed to do the rest.
Prairie Sunshine @ 71
Wait, didn’t Saddam have ‘em, too? Bush emulating Saddam…?
Oh, God, irony overload. Must. Breathe.
Along the lines of presentation vs. content LA Times had this piece on KO’s success
What is really irritating about this is that the article tries to make the point that KO’s success is due to his format and they totally miss the point that so many people now see this as one of the few places we can get reliable news. Ordered lists of lies would still be lies. It’s not the lists that drive his viewership, it’s the truth! That doesn’t seem to impress them.
BigMitch @ 75
If the men were worthless why would anyone give a shit if they were gone?
raven @ 76
Sounds like it’s time to revive the ‘thousand points of light’ policy.
How can I get ahold of Tula? Can someone help me with that?
raven @ 76
I think this falls uinder the category of War Crime under the international law of occupation.
Bush and the boys tried to evade their responsibilities as occupiers by appointing Bremer and holding their phony baloney elections with the purple, but that doesn’t absolve them of their responsibilites under international law.
Thos elections themselves are looking pretty shaky under international law also.
Just a little bit more about a particular Repug’s family problems (and then I’ll stop). From the original NYTimes piece that broke it last March:
I really like the professional golfer part.
BigMitch @ 75
I got dumped for a 50 year old ski “bum”..I am not voting for any ski bums.
Christy Hardin Smith @ 60
Very funny with Tom Jones She’s A Lady blasting. The Joker face, the youthful post-vehicular manslaughter Laura, Laura with her disinterested prick of a husband, Laura with her cretinous inlaws, Laura’s far-away gaze, The coif, the makeup, the twins as babies on her shoulder, the twins as Paris Hilton.
Tis a telling tribute full of irony and contradiction.
And what’s really up with the obsession on hair and cleavage during this protracted and burlesque election season?
Wordsmith @ 81
She’s on Facebook, Tula Connell, you can send her a message from there.
Steve-AR @ 84
I got dumped for a 45 year old detective who, after our divorce was final, told my ex he was not leaving his wife and kids.
Off to Sochi and the wonderful world of Russian women.
Mitch at 75: Better yet, might the ex wives have a few stories to tell?
From Indianz.com:
The U.S. Bureau of Prisons has assigned identification number 28950-016 to Griles, who has yet to begin his sentence. His status is described as “NOT IN BOP CUSTODY.”
james @ 88
Google that for some fun!
Wordsmith @ 81
She is on face book. Let me see if I can find her page.
I heard most of the Novak interview. It was interesting. Diane Rheme did challenge him a bit but she really needs to have Marcy on. He is still going with the “Valerie was not under cover” story and was not called on it. Poor old WATB.
AZ Matt @ 90
Let us know when Italia Federici gets her number. I still remember my cold rage watching her “testimony” before Dorgan McCain.
Big Mitch,
Good point, the Democrats need to find a way to mobilize the “First Wives Club,” of the this country. Oh, and for the record, most Republican women that have been dumped and replaced become Democrats or Independents. Republican women are the ones still tied to to the rich white old guys.
Tula’s face book home page
My 86:
obsession about…
Pade @ 93
I prepped the NYC radio guy who interviewed him. Gave him Marcy’s short version, website links, told him about KO’s WPITW, which was Novak the night before. The host is a responsible & dilligent interviewer in general but still did a poor job on this one. He had read, and used, my email, but did not follow up on any of the other material. And Novak is so practiced at answering all the Plame accusations, that you have to be an expert to really counter him.
jim oconnor @ 89
Rudy’s sure do, but all of NY either saw them unfold or heard them already. Which is why he couldn’t be elected dogcatcher in NYC. Fred’s exes are supporting him. Including the one that is a TV journalist. Name escapes me. Big eyeglasses.
Pade @ 93
Challenging him does not work. Alan Colmes actually read Hayden’s letter to him live on the air and Novack’s response was - “Oh Hayden has changed his story. I don’t believe that letter is true.” And that was that.
Novack is in some serious denial and or liar liar pants on fire territory here.
Eureka Springs @ 96
Thank you! I’ve been following the trapped miner story in Utah because it’s close regionally, and because the owner of the mine is a friend of Mitch McConnell’s. He has been on CNN since 9:10 am (live feed via Internet) and still going. Even CNN termed it a “bizarre news conference.” The man rambled about how HE started the company, yadda yadda ya……at one point he yelled for the sherriff to restrict the airspace above, getting helicopters above out.
Oh…live feed out….CNN is still calling it bizarre.